Fish hooks are commonly used with baits. Examples of baits include live fish such as shad, worms, non-live food such as shad, chicken, various catfish doughs and punch baits, and artificial lures such as soft plastics. The baits are enhanced by strategic add on devices to include weight, illumination, audible sound and secondary attachment devices for baits.
Rattles in particular are desirable to use when fishing. As the baited hook is moved in the water, the rattle produces noise. Water is an excellent sound conductor. Fish are attracted to the noise. However, strategic add on devices, such as rattles, can cause several problems for the purpose applying the bait to the hook. Baits such as soft plastics are primarily thread from the sharp end of the hook; a portion of the bait is sleeved over the sharp end of the hook along the shank of the hook until it reaches a resting place usually near the line tie eyelet. The same bait may then be attached again to the sharp end of the hook in a manner consistent to accomplish the strategic natural presentation of the chosen bait and provide a weed guard which is strategic in helping to prevent snags and hang ups of the hook. Strategic add on devices such as illumination, weight and audible sounding devices that significantly alter the diameter of the hook shank can encumber the user's ability to sleeve the bait increasing risk of personal injury and bait damage or loss of bait. Recreation of fishing is time for one to enjoy life and well intentioned anglers have used add on devices that can cause complexity issues as well as unnecessary expense and risk.
In the prior art, rattles have been attached to hooks. In Hoyt, U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,178, a jig head has a hook. Attached to the jig head is a rattle that extends adjacent to the hook shank. Together, the rattle and the shank enlarge the size of the hook in cross-section. Many baits cannot be used on such a hook because they cannot be secured to the hook. In addition, using soft plastic lures on such a hook would result in damage to the lure so it could not be reused.
Huppert, U.S. Pat. No. 6,836,996 attaches a rattle to the bend portion of the hook by way of a wire. The hook also includes a weight on the shank.
Thus what is needed is a hook having a more streamlined rattle that can be used with a wide variety of baits and without damage to the baits.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,535 Trembone, et al. 2006, shows illumination feature, which is a coveted strategy in catching fish. The light unit is located along side the shank. Together, the light unit and the shank enlarge the size of the hook, which limits the bait choice. The light unit interferes with securely attaching a bait to the hook. While a few specialized baits could be used, these baits cannot be rigged as weedless where the hook tip is inside the bait. A weedless rigged bait reduces snags and hang ups thereby reducing the frustrations and time that go along with trying to disengage the snag or hang up which many times end in an environmental problem of littering our lakes ponds and streams with dangerous sharps and excess fishing line. This problem affects all aquatic life and human life and other fisherman lines as they could become entangled.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,036,266 Falcon 2006, shows weighted hook shank with a significant increase in the diameter, although it is complimentary to show the needed reduction in as far as the tapered ends of both top and bottom beginning and ending of the weight for applying baits. The weight is concentrically fitted onto the shank but not secured and held in position by the tapered ends of the weight. The weight could at the same time take advantage of the space used for the weight by adding a component of the audible sound device however this is not present. The selection of creating the space along the hook for purposes of audible sound naturally adds the weight from weighted members within, and thereby combining strategic benefits.